Plymouth 1 Walsall 0 - Report and pictures

A second half goal from striker Ryan Taylor was enough to earn the Pilgrims a New Year’s Day victory at Home Park.

In front of 10,432 fans – including 275 Saddlers who made the long trip to Devon – both teams struggled to create clear goal scoring opportunities with the majority of efforts coming from distance.

It was Plymouth though who were the more aggressive of the two teams and they got their winner when Taylor found the bottom corner from 20-yards.

The result means Walsall have failed to win any of their five games over the festive period, with Jon Whitney’s side drawing two and losing three.

In naming his starting line-up, boss Whitney made four changes to the team that slipped to defeat against Rotherham just 48 hours earlier.

Having served a three-match ban following his red card at Northampton, Amadou Bakayoko came straight back into the team at the expense of fellow striker Daniel Agyei.

There were also recalls for Liam Kinsella and James Wilson as well as a first league start of the campaign for Reece Flanagan as the Saddlers switched to a 4-5-1 system.

Plymouth, under the guidance of manager Derek Adams, lined up in a 4-3-3 formation that saw Ryan Taylor operate as a central striker with Graham Carey and Rúben Lameiras either side.

The two teams entered the clash in contrasting form with Plymouth unbeaten in five and Walsall winless in four.

And it was the home side who created the game’s first chance with Carey curling a free-kick around the wall from 25-yards only to see Mark Gillespie parry the ball behind.

From the resultant corner, an unmarked Ryan Edwards headed over when he should have hit the target.

Adam’s side had started well with Antoni Sarcevic seeing another long-range effort deflect inches past the post.

Slowly but surely though, Walsall began to grow in stature and they came close to opening the scoring in the 15th minute.

After collecting the ball on the left, Luke Leahy whipped in a dangerous cross that looked set to be nodded home by Bakayoko.

But just as the striker set himself, a Plymouth defender managed to get the slightest touch on the ball which stopped the forward from getting his header on target.

The hosts continued to look the more lively as the clocked ticked past the half-hour mark with Carey in particular casing the Saddlers’ defence problems.

But both teams were struggling to create clear-cut chances with the players seemingly lacking sharpness having played just 48 hours earlier.

Walsall almost grabbed the lead shortly before half-time with Oztumer trying his luck from a corner and Remi Matthews doing well to scramble across his goal and push the ball to safety.

It was Plymouth though who ended the half on top with Carey firing widely over from eight-yards following a spell of pin-ball around the Saddlers box.

Walsall flew out the blocks following the re-start with Joe Edwards sending in a deep cross that was collected by Ismail at the back post.

The winger then did well to work himself some space away from two defenders but he then scuffed a shot wide when he should have done better.

Despite the bright start, Plymouth continued to be the aggressors as the hour mark approached.

But all either side could manage was shots from distance with Carey and Lameiras testing Gillespie and Oztumer forcing Matthews into a comfortable stop from 25-yards.

Whitney’s men responded with Ismail collecting a fine cross-field ball from Flanagan before drilling a low strike on the angle which Matthews spilled by managed to get away.

Then at the other end, Flanagan bravely blocked a Sarcevic strike after the ball had fallen kindly for the former Shrewsbury man in the box.

Buoyed by the move, the Pilgrims came forward again with Carey curling a wonderful strike from 20-yards that a diving Gillespie did well to parry away.

But just moments later, Adams men did get themselves in front with Taylor hitting a rasping drive from the edge of the box which nestled into the corner and beyond the reach of Gillespie.

Walsall’s response was instant with Ismail darting into the box and firing at goal only to see his effort beaten away by Matthews.

The loose fell for Flanagan who then went down under pressure from a defender. But while the Saddlers bench frantically appealed for a penalty, referee Kevin Johnson waved play on.

Whitney made a double change with 15 minutes remaining, Agyei and Simeon Jackson replacing Edwards and Bakayoko.

From that point, the Saddlers went on to enjoy lots of possession in and around the Plymouth box.

But they were unable to find an equaliser with Sonny Bradely getting to a fine Ismail cross ahead of Jackson the closest they came.

Plymouth: Plymouth: Matthews, Threlkeld, Edwards, Bradley, Sawyer, Sarcevic, Fox, Diagouraga, Lameiras, Carey, Taylor.

Subs not used: Miller, Songo’o, Ainsworth, Jervis, Grant, Wylde, Cooper.

Walsall: Gillespie, Kinsella, J. Wilson, Guthrie, Leahy, Ismail, Chambers, Edwards (Jackson 75), Flanagan, Oztumer (Kouhyar 86), Bakayoko (Agyei 75).

Subs not used: L. Roberts, K. Roberts, Devlin, Morris.